DH and I were flying from DC to Phoenix with our 20 month old twins (last trip before we have to pay for seats for them). It's important to know that each section of a plane has one extra air mask for a lap child, so we cannot sit together (so, in this case, where it was a plane with 3 seats on each side of the aisle, we could sit across the aisle from each other, but not in the same set of 3 seats). In order to get aisle seats across from each other, we were in the very back row. When we boarded, there was a man in DH's seat. He had originally been assigned the middle seat next to me, but he was flying with his daughter (she was probably 9 or 10), and refused to move. The flight attendant ended up asking the lady in the aisle seat a row ahead to move to that middle seat next to me, since, as I said, DH and I could NOT sit next to each other. The lady was very gracious about it, but her husband was ticked off they would be sitting apart from each other. If the first man's daughter had been younger, I could have understood a bit better, but she seemed old enough that sitting apart shouldn't have been an issue-especially since he's whole attitude just screamed that he didn't care about the inconvience to others he was causing.

Wait! He was sitting in your dh's assigned seat and he wouldn't move and the GA didn't make home move either?

Yup-he said something like, "No, I refuse to move. I MUST sit with my daughter." Since the other lady said she would move, it got worked out, but I'm not sure what would have happened if she hadn't.

Wow! I certainly would have made sure I got my assigned seat. I pre-select my seats. It is not my fault and I should not be inconvenienced b/c he didn't.

DH and I were flying from DC to Phoenix with our 20 month old twins (last trip before we have to pay for seats for them). It's important to know that each section of a plane has one extra air mask for a lap child, so we cannot sit together (so, in this case, where it was a plane with 3 seats on each side of the aisle, we could sit across the aisle from each other, but not in the same set of 3 seats). In order to get aisle seats across from each other, we were in the very back row. When we boarded, there was a man in DH's seat. He had originally been assigned the middle seat next to me, but he was flying with his daughter (she was probably 9 or 10), and refused to move. The flight attendant ended up asking the lady in the aisle seat a row ahead to move to that middle seat next to me, since, as I said, DH and I could NOT sit next to each other. The lady was very gracious about it, but her husband was ticked off they would be sitting apart from each other. If the first man's daughter had been younger, I could have understood a bit better, but she seemed old enough that sitting apart shouldn't have been an issue-especially since he's whole attitude just screamed that he didn't care about the inconvience to others he was causing.

Wait! He was sitting in your dh's assigned seat and he wouldn't move and the GA didn't make home move either?

Yup-he said something like, "No, I refuse to move. I MUST sit with my daughter." Since the other lady said she would move, it got worked out, but I'm not sure what would have happened if she hadn't.

Wow! I certainly would have made sure I got my assigned seat. I pre-select my seats. It is not my fault and I should not be inconvenienced b/c he didn't.

I was pretty shocked-once it was explained why we legally couldn't use his assigned seat (by the FA who was standing right there), I expected him to move. But no, he had to be an SS and displace two people instead.

Not to defend the guy with the daughter, but we had a similar situation recently. I booked our flight over 3 months in advance. I was allowed to select our seats on the out bound flight, but the website would NOT allow me to choose our seats for the return flight. I tried multiple times over the months to book our seats, but the website always showed all seats (except one or two single seats at random intervals) as filled. I finally called the airline and they were quite rude and unhelpful. They basically told me I would have to wait until we got to the airport for our return flight to select our seats because only the gate agent could do it. It sounded ridiculous. I asked for a supervisor, but she was even less helpful than the first agent.

My daughter is 10. While she is quite independent and doesn't need mom and dad holding her hand to fly...I was uncomfortable with not knowing who would be sitting next to her. Due to her looks (I get stopped by strangers telling me how beautiful her hair is) she draws lots of unwanted attention. She's still learning how to cope with this unwanted attention. On a recent trip a strange man cornered her after she left the ladies room and started petting her head and telling her how beautiful she is. My husband had to physically remove the guy and save my daughter. So, with that fresh on our minds I was facing the fear of DD being stuck next to some perv and not knowing what to do.

Luckily, it all worked out for us. The gate agent was very apologetic (for the way phone support had treated us) and upgraded us to business class so the three of us could be together. I'm not sure what I would have done if he hadn't been able (and willing) to help us.

Logged

If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.  Catherine Aird

We had to fly alot while my daughter was an infant-todder. So we decided we would purchase a FAA approved car seat that converted into a stroller and then always buy a ticket for her. We made sure that the seat was allowed and fit on the planes. We somehow were always able to get assigned seats next to each other and we always planned to have the carseat in between us. I am amazed at the amount of times people requested that either me or my husband give up our seat for varies reasons. Who wants to sit next to the baby on a plane Many people automatically assumed that we hadn't purchased three tickets and wanted us to move so that they could have the "spare" seat. They assumed the spare seat would be the aisle. But the the time that was really rude was when someone suggested that because she was less than two we should check in the carseat, hold her on our lap and then trade their two seats together for our three seats together. I politely let them know that we paid for three tickets and we do not wish to trade. The mother actually argued with us and said that because of us her 12 yr old daughter would be sitting by herself. I didn't bother to respond that maybe the mom or dad could sit by themselves so the 12 yr old could use one of the two seats together.

I have also been in situations where I had preselected seats but the airline changed them at the last minute. I was shocked that the flight attendant and airline expected me to sit several rows away from my then two year old. I had one bulk seat and one aisle seat several rows back. Someone was nice enough to exchange seats with my son. THe FA was not helpful at all.

The thing was, in our situation-he could have talked to a gate agent. And I totally get being nervous about who would be sitting next to your child if you're several rows away. But he was in the same general row, with both of them in middle seats, AND he refused to move when the FA told him the original holder of the seat could not use his seat. There were other things that happened with that flight (we ended up going back to the gate and deplaning, then having the flight delayed until the next morning) that made a lot of what happened a moot point. It was still frustrating at the time.

And, actually, on the return flight, when we had, once again, selected seats across the aisle from each other, my DH had been switched to a middle seat several rows ahead. We discussed it with the gate agent, and he was able to discuss it with other passengers, and get us back across the aisle from each other. However, in that case, we were willing to accept that they couldn't do anything about it, and we weren't the ones trying to get other people to move-we left it to the professional.

STORY 1In my case, the only time someone offered to trade I had the better outcome. I was sitting in the middle seat of the last row next to a man who asked if I didn't mind swapping seats with his wife and baby, who turned out to be sitting in the aisle seat in the middle of the plane.

But to be fair, I don't really care where I sit, as long as the armrests are down and when I'm in the middle I do want at least one of them to use.

My worst planestory is actually about a has-been-friend. She was always someone I only could take in small doses, but I thought 3 days with her and another friend wouldn't be so bad. I was clearly mistaken. Already fed up with her, we went to our seats (me at the window - mutual friend in the middle - her in [at?] the aisle) and she started to tick with her finger to my friends ear. That way that you hold your dumb and middlefinger together and it really hurts when someone does it at a sensitive spot? My friend didn't like this and tried to get her to stop but she wouldn't for a 1.5 hour flight... Except for the 5 minutes the friend in the middle went to the bathroom and she tried to do it to me. Sometimes I do have very fast reflexes so I grabbed her hand, looked her in the eye and just said "no way." After 3 days of not saying anything about anything making it very clear that I wasn't impressed felt really good to be honest. But I will never ever travel with her again!

As for them, they did went on another trip together, for 3 weeks even! Only this time, the good friends boyfriend tagged along and apparently the trip didn't go so smoothly as they had hoped.

In case anyone wonders about our ages, we were all 23-24 at the time of the first trip last year.

STORY 2This is actually my mothers story and I don't exactly remember the details. She was on the plane with her sister and on the other side of the aisle was sitting a couple. They weren't sitting as they were supposed to and refused point blank to do anything. After 15 minutes the FAs asked my mother and her sister if they could help them out and they said "sure, why not." A little while later, when the seatbelt signs come off, the FAs come back to my mother and her sister with two glasses of champagne and announce very loudly (so the couple, that was sitting across the aisle could hear them), that it was on them because they had been so helpful. I'm sure that was one of the worst planerides that couple ever had.

For those that have had seats switched on you at the last minute. I don't know if all airlines do this, but all the ones I flew on as a road warrior did. 24 hours in advance you can print a copy of your boarding pass. Once you have a boarding pass, you are considered almost unmovable by the airline. Also, if you go in 24 hours in advance and find that they've moved you, then is the time to complain. The closer you get to boarding time, the harder it will be for the airline to move you.

A number of years ago I was traveling across country from NC to Nevada. I had an aisle seat. I got seated early and the flight was full. Towards the end of boarding, a lady came up who was assigned the middle seat. She asked me if I minded trading seats as her traveling companion was seated in the seat across the aisle from me. I said I would be happy to trade with her companion if they wanted to sit together.

Her reply?

"No. We both want the aisle seats. They are more comfortable."

"Then I will have to say no." was my reply.

I like the aisle or the window seat because the middle seat makes me a bit claustrophobic. I prefer aisle to window. This was the only leg of this trip that I actually got the aisle seat. I was not giving it up.

Of course you were fine to deny their request - but, in fact many couples (especially if at least one of them is on the larger-body-size) do in fact prefer facing-aisle seats. Sometimes it's the best version of sitting "together".

Its nice if they prefer it, but asking someone to swap the aisle seat for your middle because its a nicer seat is rude.

I've had many odd seating stories. The double booking of DS1's seat with a woman who was insistent that she sit there. When we had a layover the gate agent tried to move DS1 (then 5 years) to a seat half the plane away and refused to listen to why it wasn't a good idea. Fortunately the FA's were more helpful.

***

The one totally on me was when DS1 and I were flying a few years ago (he was then 27 years) and we had two aisle seats booked. I didn't pay attention and sat in the wrong row. The seat's rightful occupant came along and I moved. But, I sat in the wrong row again (the seats rows didn't match exactly and I was looking at the opposite side's numbers). I was supposed to be one row back.

The seat's occupant came and I was about to say, 'Hey, why don't you just take my seat behind me. I never recline.' But, it was my error and I got up. I was about to sit down when a man in the aisle said, "Is this your seat." I was embarrassed at myself and ready to finally sit down. I almost snapped, 'Yes and I'm not moving again.' Fortunately I didn't.

The passenger said, "This is my wife [woman by the window]. I have a seat in first class. Would you mind if we switched so I can sit by her?"

'Of course not!' I took his boarding pass and quickly sat myself down in a much more comfortable seat.

Essential, air travel has morphed such that any window, or an aisle seat, are considered premium - at extra cost.

So, you can book your seats months in advance and pick seats next to each other but as the flight date approaches, the quant models for the seating are overlaid and seats (never guaranteed) are rearranged. You had a window, middle and aisle for Husband, Wife, Child in your original intinerary? Congrats, each of the three of you are in middle seats in varied rows anywhere in the plane.

Flyers who have status or who are willing to pay an upcharge to guarantee an aisle seat or a window seat have shuffled the quant deck. If you aren't in either of those categories, your seat is now on open play and up for bid.

My ILs travel maybe once every five years by plane. For their latest trip, when I purchased their tickets, I got guaranteed seats for them (including purchasing a middle seat so that they could spread out, my FIL having some mbility issues) and instructed my MIL to not give them up or trade them. Sure enough, a family came along and played the "but our children have to be with us! So you move to give us your premium seats and take our cheapest possibly seats back near the lavs! Because we are a FAAAAMMMMMMILLLLY! and therefore deserve more than you selfish old people without kids!"

My MIL who has the sweetest voice, simply looked at them and said "noooooo". When the father of the FFAAAAAMMMMMILLLLY tried again, my FIL - a man of very little English but remarkable turn of phrase, said "I know a ten cent millionaire when I see him."

The FFFAAAAMMMMMILLLLY whined to the flight attendant about the "spare" middle seat and how much better it would be for them if they could have those three seats for their FFAAAAAAMMMMMILLLLY. The FA, taking her dignity in her hands, approached my FIL. Who responded: "Ask my wife." MIL came back her her sweet sweet "no......"

The FFFFAAAAMMMMMILLLY groused for the rest of the flight, but I'm sure that helped them start their trip out wonderfully. I really only care about my ILs. They've worked their whole lives and raised their own FFFAAAAMMMMMIIIILLLLLLYYY so I feel no compunction about making sure that they get as much of the good life as I can help with.

Next time, in spite of their protestations, I'm upgrading them to first.

For those that have had seats switched on you at the last minute. I don't know if all airlines do this, but all the ones I flew on as a road warrior did. 24 hours in advance you can print a copy of your boarding pass. Once you have a boarding pass, you are considered almost unmovable by the airline. Also, if you go in 24 hours in advance and find that they've moved you, then is the time to complain. The closer you get to boarding time, the harder it will be for the airline to move you.

This doesn't work if you already have checked in online. Once you are checked in online, you can't change your seats,